A woman who falsely claimed to be pregnant with twins and to have had a miscarriage has been charged with second-degree theft and scheming to defraud, Anchorage police said Tuesday.

Kathryn M. McMahon (Anchorage Police Department photo)

On Dec. 4, several people contacted Anchorage police about Kathryn M. McMahon, 24, who claimed she was pregnant with twins and had a miscarriage in November.

"Since then it has been discovered that McMahon had never been pregnant," a police statement said. "However, McMahon had received money, food and emotional support from multiple people who believed she was pregnant."

Police said McMahon is also known as Kate Martin and is "well known in the local birthing/doula community." A doula is a birth assistant.

MJ Thim, a police spokesman, said the amount of the alleged theft is still part of the investigation.

"That's why we're asking for more victims to come forward, because we just don't know how much money she stole from people," Thim said.

The majority of McMahon's victims were mothers, he said.

"She knew how to play to their emotions," Thim said. She used Facebook "as a means to target her victims with her fake story about being pregnant and the miscarriage."

Police said anyone who believes they may have been a victim of McMahon's scheme, or who has more information regarding the case, should contact dispatch at 907-786-8900 (press "0" to speak with an operator).